bison hunt
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Elk375
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The Flying D. Ted Turner's ranch.
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thecrittergitter
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The Flying D is likely your best bet. There is also a buffalo ranch down near Sheridan, MT if i recall correctly.
Flying D is a guarantee, walk out shoot one in a corral and they load it with their tractor for you..........
Also a place in Billings, i think like Sagebrush Meats or something like that.
Flying D is a guarantee, walk out shoot one in a corral and they load it with their tractor for you..........
Also a place in Billings, i think like Sagebrush Meats or something like that.
CAelknuts
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I'll also recommend the Flying D. I shot a bison there back around 2000, and they made it a nice experience. The ranch is something like 100,000 acres, and has very few internal fences. You can stay in Bozeman, or any of the other nearby towns, and you'll meet your guide that morning.
It is generally just a one day hunt, and your dad will have a very good time. If you tell your guide about your father's situation ahead of time, I'd expect they'll go out of their way to show him a good time. I was looking for a "non-trophy" bull, which is less expensive than a "trophy" bull, and the only difference is a non-trophy bull is usually very old with broomed horn tips, while a trophy bull has perfect or near perfect tips so that he'll score better. A non-trophy bull is quite a bit less expensive and still looks great on the fireplace. We rode around looking at lots of bison before getting serious about finding the one they wanted me to shoot. They had a particular bull they wanted me to take, and he was hanging out with a trophy bull out toward the northwest part of hte ranch. After looking at a lot of bison, we wandered over that way late in the morning and found them together, feeding along a hillside. They're not very spooky, and you can approach them pretty easily. We got up to about 50-60 yards and I shot the bull. They're tough! You don't have to use a big rifle, a .30-06 would be great, but you should use a very well constructed bullet capable of penetrating. I'd recommend a nosler partition, barnes triple shock or something along those lines. I shot mine with a .338 and 225 gr. trophy bonded bearclaw and it worked well.
The "non" trophy bull I took ended up being a 12 or 13 year old bull, the guide wasn't completely sure other than that he was among the first releases they did on the ranch. I don't remember how much the weight was at the processor, but do remember them telling me the bull likely weighed close to 2.100 pounds live. I don't doubt it, either; as I've shot 6 cape buffalo and this bison was a lot bigger than any cape buff I've shot.
I was guided by "JT", James Thompson, who I believe is a professor at Montana State when he's not out playing on the Flying D. He was a great host and made our day very nice. If he's still guiding for Rob Arnaud, I'd highly recommend him. Bison are fantastic eating, and the head makes a great mount. The Flying D crew take care of everything for you, including taking the bison to the processor and head to a local taxidermist. You get all the meat, the head and hide, and the cost is lower than many other places, while allowing you to take an older bison than most other ranches can provide. It's a good value and fun experience.
It is generally just a one day hunt, and your dad will have a very good time. If you tell your guide about your father's situation ahead of time, I'd expect they'll go out of their way to show him a good time. I was looking for a "non-trophy" bull, which is less expensive than a "trophy" bull, and the only difference is a non-trophy bull is usually very old with broomed horn tips, while a trophy bull has perfect or near perfect tips so that he'll score better. A non-trophy bull is quite a bit less expensive and still looks great on the fireplace. We rode around looking at lots of bison before getting serious about finding the one they wanted me to shoot. They had a particular bull they wanted me to take, and he was hanging out with a trophy bull out toward the northwest part of hte ranch. After looking at a lot of bison, we wandered over that way late in the morning and found them together, feeding along a hillside. They're not very spooky, and you can approach them pretty easily. We got up to about 50-60 yards and I shot the bull. They're tough! You don't have to use a big rifle, a .30-06 would be great, but you should use a very well constructed bullet capable of penetrating. I'd recommend a nosler partition, barnes triple shock or something along those lines. I shot mine with a .338 and 225 gr. trophy bonded bearclaw and it worked well.
The "non" trophy bull I took ended up being a 12 or 13 year old bull, the guide wasn't completely sure other than that he was among the first releases they did on the ranch. I don't remember how much the weight was at the processor, but do remember them telling me the bull likely weighed close to 2.100 pounds live. I don't doubt it, either; as I've shot 6 cape buffalo and this bison was a lot bigger than any cape buff I've shot.
I was guided by "JT", James Thompson, who I believe is a professor at Montana State when he's not out playing on the Flying D. He was a great host and made our day very nice. If he's still guiding for Rob Arnaud, I'd highly recommend him. Bison are fantastic eating, and the head makes a great mount. The Flying D crew take care of everything for you, including taking the bison to the processor and head to a local taxidermist. You get all the meat, the head and hide, and the cost is lower than many other places, while allowing you to take an older bison than most other ranches can provide. It's a good value and fun experience.
CAelknuts
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By the way, as was mentioned by thecrittergitter, they also have a bison harvesting program where you can shoot one out of a 100 acre fenced pasture. Don't do that. They do that as a different option, for people who just want some bison meat. On that option, they round up hundreds of bison and drive them all down near the Madison River, to a pasture that is fenced into about 100 acres. When you do this, you show up at an appointed time, they have people check in about every 45 minutes, and they load you into the pickup and drive out among the bison. They pick out one of the type you want to buy (cow, yearling cow or yearling bull) and throw a sandbag over the hood and tell you to shoot him right behind the ear. You shoot it, they hoist it up with an A frame mounted on a truck and field dress it, then haul it out of the field and set it in your truck or trailer. At that point, it's all yours. The whole thing takes 15-20 minutes and is nothing more than a quick and cost effective way to buy a bison for the freezer.
They make no pretense about this being anything other than buying a bison and shooting it this way just happens to be a cost effective way for them to manage their herd. After killing the non-trophy bull I shot on the main ranch in September, I was back in Montana whitetail hunting at the beginning of December and decided that I liked the meat so much, I bought one of these penned bison. I just showed up in my 1/2 ton shortbed silverado at the appointed time, filled out the paperwork and then jumped into JTs pickup. We drove a few hundred yards out into the pen, and he said "There's a nice yearling bull for you". He threw the sandbag over the hood and two minutes later that bison was hanging from a hoist being gutted.
The only problem that arose was when they hauled it out of the pasture, as on this option, you have to take care of your own bison after they remove it from the field. We managed to load it into the pickup and I drove slowly to Restevedt's meat market in Ennis to have it skinned and quartered. I looked like a mexican low rider going down the road; that bison just about had my pickup doing wheelies it was so heavy in that light truck.
Stick to the actual "hunt" on the main ranch. Completely different experience, even though it is not difficult and there's no doubt you'll shoot a bull in one day, two at the absolute most. Your dad will like that much better.
They make no pretense about this being anything other than buying a bison and shooting it this way just happens to be a cost effective way for them to manage their herd. After killing the non-trophy bull I shot on the main ranch in September, I was back in Montana whitetail hunting at the beginning of December and decided that I liked the meat so much, I bought one of these penned bison. I just showed up in my 1/2 ton shortbed silverado at the appointed time, filled out the paperwork and then jumped into JTs pickup. We drove a few hundred yards out into the pen, and he said "There's a nice yearling bull for you". He threw the sandbag over the hood and two minutes later that bison was hanging from a hoist being gutted.
The only problem that arose was when they hauled it out of the pasture, as on this option, you have to take care of your own bison after they remove it from the field. We managed to load it into the pickup and I drove slowly to Restevedt's meat market in Ennis to have it skinned and quartered. I looked like a mexican low rider going down the road; that bison just about had my pickup doing wheelies it was so heavy in that light truck.
Stick to the actual "hunt" on the main ranch. Completely different experience, even though it is not difficult and there's no doubt you'll shoot a bull in one day, two at the absolute most. Your dad will like that much better.
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